The Mrs. and I went to a few thrift shops thismorning. Besides a few hawaiian music compilations I found Arthur Lyman's "Yellow Bird" album. I haven't played it yet but it looks to be in good condition. The prices in the LPs went up last week. I had to pay $.99 for the darn thing!
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While I was at work yesterday I went to a flea market and found two Kahiki Tiki mugs and one Kahiki Skull mug and a generic but cool Tiki mug all from the same vendor.

She said she may have more at home and to check back in a week.

Then to top it off one of my co-workers saw them and said he had two of the Kahiki Tiki mugs and a Kahiki Skull mug and that I could have them! I've offered him money but so far he has refused.
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The snow finally melted and we had a heatwave of about 60 degrees this weekend, so off I went to the flea market, where I got a wooden Ku tiki that looks a bit like a cigar store Indian. It was only 50 cents and he is about 10 inches tall. It says Hawaii on the front below his feet and a little paper tag says he will bring me strength. Underneath there's a made in the Phillipines sticker. Regardless, this is a major score being that we have snow here, not tikis. I also got the soundtrack to South Pacific on vinyl. Also today at the thrift I had to fork out $2 for something called "Aloha Moods" on vinyl. Thats highway robbery, but I had to have it. At $2 a record I had to forgo a stack of insane vintage Polka records. Drat.
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Oh BK!
Again you paid way too much for that stuff, so let me help you out by giving you your $50 back for what you paid for and just let me know how much it will be to ship that way cool deal....er..um...not so good stuff you got.

(can you tell I'm filled with envy and as green as that Otigari mug?!)

There IS a trick, and I would imagine this would apply to any region of the country..I kind of look for and frequent the communities where the most retirees/elderly seem to be, I.E. the very resort/tourist and retiree-magnet areas that you'd think would be the most picked over. Oddly enough, they in fact seem to be the most productive places of all (at least for the kitsch/souvenir/tiki thing). and there again oddly enough ESPECIALLY in the antique malls and flea markets. The Tiki Bob's I found a few weeks ago was sitting in a mall for 15.00. I found two Chin Tiki mugs for 6.00 each in a similar mall last year. Where the 65-80 year-old-folks are, there their "stuff" will be also. Could be a coincidence, but so far by that doctrine (knock on wood) I'm fortunate enough to maintain a pretty high batting average.

My brother-in-law does a lot of hunting/collecting/trading as a hobby & to supplement his income. I called him up yesterday to invite him & his wife over for mai tais & pupus and he shows up and says "I got something for you" and hands me vintage 60's Mr. Bali Hai salt & pepper shakers. Too cool!